1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to data processing apparatus, and more specifically to a system for printing multiple pages of a document on a single sheet of paper or other printing media.
2. Description of the Related Art
When a document having a plurality of pages is printed, each page is normally printed on a separate sheet of printing media. It is sometimes useful, however, to condense the pages and print multiple pages on a single sheet. Legal transcripts, for example, are often condensed and printed in this way. Some printers have built-in functions for condensed printing, as does some computer software for creating or editing documents. In some cases, the condensed printing function allows the user to select the layout sequence of the condensed pages on the single sheet.
A problem that arises is that the reader of a condensed document may not know what page layout sequence has been selected, and thus may not know in what order to read the condensed pages. The reader must then try to determine the page order from the content of the condensed pages, which makes reading the document a troublesome task. This problem can occur even when the pages are numbered, because the page numbers are reduced in size and may not be easily legible.
Another problem is that the person who creates or prints the condensed document cannot visually confirm that the condensed pages have been laid out in the intended sequence until the condensed document has been printed. If the pages are not laid out in the intended sequence, then the person must change the layout specification and print the document again, which is wasteful of both time and printing media.